The Heart of the Matter

Introducing our principal search committee

As most of our parents, parishioners and staff know, we have been managing a great deal of change at our school and parish over the past year.  A few weeks ago, I gave an update on our parish operations and finances.  This posting serves to update you on our progress of finding the right principal for our school.

Last June, Jan Altevogt our school principal of 5 years, resigned unexpectedly for medical reasons.  Due to the timing of her departure, we were not able to conduct a thorough search to find a new principal.  We were blessed to have our school’s religious director of 13 years, Pam Jackimiec, step into the principal’s role for the 2008/2009 school year on short notice.  She is executing her role very well and has offered a calming and steadfast hand of support during a time of uncertainty. For this I want to thank Pam for her many loyal years of service.

As we enter the New Year, we begin the formal process of searching for our new principal. I use the word “formal” because the Archdiocese of Denver directs and oversees the process.  They set the method of selection, train individuals involved in the selection process, validate prospective candidates and ultimately certify that the individual selected by the committee is appropriate for the role.  While this process takes months to execute, it ensures that we end up with the best possible candidate.

I have also assembled a Principal Search Committee in accordance with Archdiocese guidelines. The members of the Search Committee consist of school parents, parish and school board members.  Their names are listed at the end of this letter.  Please feel free to contact them directly with questions or thoughts. 

Below is the sequence of events that will happen over the next few months:

·         By December 31, 2008, existing school principals within the Archdiocese of Denver may request to be placed on the list of potential candidates for other parochial schools that need a principal. Candidates from outside the Archdiocese must submit their application to the Office of Catholic Schools (OCS) for consideration.

·         In January 2009, the OCS will evaluate the candidates.  The SHJ Search Committee will be trained by the OCS on the selection process.

·         In late January or early February the Search Committee will solicit feedback from the school community so they can build a profile of the ideal principal candidate and outline realistic goals for the coming years.

·         The OCS will match candidates using the profile and goals outlined by the Search Committee.  At this point, the top candidates will meet and interview with the Search Committee.

·         The Search Committee will evaluate the candidates and make their final recommendation.  We hope to identify a new principal before the Easter break.

I know there is much concern over the selection of our new principal as this person plays a vital role in the faith formation and education of our children.  This is a very important and serious process and we want to conduct it with as much openness and insight as possible to understand the needs and desires of our school.

I will be sending periodical updates throughout our process.  In the meantime you can help in two distinct ways.  First, write your thoughts down on what you think are the top attributes of a school principal and what goals you think we should pursue for our school (we or the School Advisory Council will be asking for them in the coming months).  Second, if you know any Catholic principal that may have an interest in serving us, please encourage them to submit their resume to the Archdiocese of Denver, Office of Catholic Schools.

Thank you for you understanding and patience.

God bless you all,

Father

Bill Breslin

Search Committee members

·         Tommy Lorden, a school dad, heads us our Social Justice Committee and serves on Pastoral Council (tlorden@gmail.com)

·         Brenda Pearson, a school mom, serves on School Advisory Council (BM_Pearson@yahoo.com)

·         Paul Berberian, a non-school dad, served on TAG and now heads the Communications Committee (paul@berberian.com)

·         Andy Bush, a non-parishioner school dad, serves on School Advisory Council (Andy@morgancreekventures.com)

·         Scott Whitehill, a school dad, serves on Finance Council and is council’s liaison to the school (swhitehi@ball.com)

·         Colette Cribari, a school mom, served on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (ccribari@bouldercounty.org)

Please feel free to contact anyone on the search committee – your comments will be shared with the rest of the committee but will be kept confidential amongst the committee members.

A mixed moment

I promised to keep you up to date on our former principal, Jan Altevogt. 

She is in a mixed moment: relief over her surgery and the fact that the tumor was benign; but also grief over the death of her mother, Charlotte Barber, who died this morning (Sunday), just a few weeks short of her turning 91. 

Please keep Jan and her family in your prayers.

Update on Jan Altevogt: Great News

Back in May our school's principal, Jan Altevogt, learned that she had cancer in her one remaining kidney and that a very delicate operation was in order to remove the mass.  Months of planning happened between May and now by a very highly skilled team of surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.  The doctors at that clinic speicalize in this very dicey surgery.  The task before them was to remove the cancer without harming the kidney or the artery running through the kidney next to the mass. 

Today the surgery took place and the removal of the cancer was successful!  We are all happy indeed and send her our thoughts and prayers.  In fact, we have people today before the Blessed Sacrament for a 24 hour period praying for her, and now praying in gratitude that these prayers were answered.

They're back!

After a quiet summer, they're back!  Our school kids are back in the classroom; and the university students are back in town.  Get ready for lots of life.  And welcome back to school, everybody!

Update on Jan Altevogt

This past week a Pet Scan determined that Jan does not have cancer anywhere else in her body, except for the kidney.  This week, we hope, she will find out what surgery will be done on the kidney.  When we know the actual day, we'll organize another vigil before the Blessed Sacrament to pray all goes well.  Keep her in your prayers.

All night long, all day long

Last night at 7:00 PM one of the most uniting moments happened for bringing our parish and school together in a common cause.  School families, parish people, and a large contingent of Hispanics all joined in a wonderful Mass with a magnificent children's choir, powerful Scriptures, and of course the Eucharist.  Then, all night long, they came to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for our principal, Jan Altevogt.  And all day long, they came to pray, hour by hour.

There is a power of being before the Blessed Sacrament when praying.  Could it be simply a matter of being in a sacred space where thousands upon thousands have prayed to the Living God?  No, it's more than that.  Could it be a sense of praying in unison with others who are focused on the same cause?  No, it's more than that, too.  Could it be a matter of being part of a 2,000 year old body of believers, stretched all over the world?  No, it's more than that as well.  It's all of that and more.  The "more" is being in the "Real Presence" of the Lord Himself.  Praying on our own, or even within the company of others, is like talking on a telephone, while praying before the Blessed Sacrament is like talking face to face.  Try it.  It's the best kept secret of the Catholic Church!

Welcome New Readers from Sacred Heart of Jesus School

Welcome new readers from among our school parents.  In this space I want to keep close communication with you throughout the summer: 

• about Jan Altevogt's health and welfare;
• about Pam Jackimiec's becoming our interim principal for the coming school year;
• about the process to choose a search committee for selecting a new long term principal;
• about the interviews happening for our two teaching positions that are open (2nd grade);
• about a day of prayer for Jan when she has her procedure (date yet to be determined);
• about my upcoming invitation to you to come by and visit me in small groups;
• about our new parochial vicar, Father Miljenko Pavkovich;
• about plans for our new school year;
• and many more items of interest.

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